Device fob



(No Model.)

A H. E.- RIDER. I DEVICE FOR APPLYING SEALING WAX.

"N0, 600,992. Patented Ma 22, 1898.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

TA. uuum: PETERS o0. moTo-ufna. WASHINGTON. a c.

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. RIDER, on NEW YoRK,N. Y., ASSIGNOR To BELLE RIDER AND OELINDA P. ROBINS ON, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR APPLYING SEALING-WAX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 600,992, dated March 22, 1898.

d .Applioatien filed ileptember 16, 1897. Serial No. 651,951. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. RI ER, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Applying Sealing-Wax, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its objects to aid and facilitate the use of sealing-wax or the application of sealing-wax to envelops, packages, &c.; and it consists of a device for applying sealing-wax. I v v The application of sealing-wax has usually heretofore been eifected by holding the end of a stick of sealing-waxover a flame with the object of melting the small portion usually desired by the direct action of the flame.

' As the sealing-wax is combustible it usually is ignited by such procedure, with the result of decomposing or charring a portion of it, while portions of meltedsealing-wax are apt to drop upon the hands and clothes of the person using the sealingwax. To guard against ignition of the envelop or package, it is usually necessary to remove the flame from the end of the stick of sealing-wax before applying the wax, and, as the sealing-wax hardens very quickly, it is exceedingly difficult to deposit at the proper place upon the envelop or packagethe exact quantity required to secure the flaps and to receive the impression of the seal.

My invention has for its objects, as aforesaid, to aid and facilitate the application of the sealing-wax, and a device embodying my invention is so constructed that the sealing- Wax is held or inclosed within a casing hav- -ing only a small or restricted orifice at'the point where the sealing-wax is to be melted, so that there will be no direct exposure of the sealing-wax to the flame, and provision is made for applying the heat in proximity to this orifice only, so that the desired quantity of sealing-wax maybe melted and may be flowed or run out of the restricted orifice upon the flaps to be secured together.

The device embodyingmy invention is small and easily handled, and in some embodiments of my invention gravity maybe alone relied upon 'to feed or force the stick of I sealing-wax to the point of heating, the easingbeing held by hand in an inclined or nearly vertical position and the extent of flow being also governed by tipping the casing backward 5 5 when the desired quantity of fluid sealingwax has escaped; but in the device embodying all features of my invention the forward feeding of the sealing-wax is efiected by a spring, and a movable gate is provided at the restricted orifice, which may be manipulated by the user and opened to permit the melted sealing-wax to flow out and closed to stop the flow when the desired quantity has escaped.

In the device embodying all features of my invention a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner are provided for melting the sealing-wax, and the reservoir and burner are removably attached to the sealing-wax casin g, so that where sealing-wax of different colors is to be usedthe several necessary casings may be provided; but a single heating device will'be suflicient, as it may be attached to whichever casing it is desired to use. 7 The device embodying all features of my invention is also provided with a shield in: proximity to the restricted orifice to prevent contact of the heating-flame with the melted sealing-wax flowing out of the orifice. Other features of my invention will appear from the following description of the accompanying drawings and from theclaims.

The drawings show embodiments of my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a device embodying all features of my invention. Fig; 2 is an end view of the same looking toward the left-hand or heating end. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of a modified construction. Fig. 4 is a similar 0 view of another modification.

A tubular casing 1, tapering or reduced at one end the left-hand end, as shown-and having a small or restricted orifice 2 at this reduced end and having a removable cap 3 at the other, end, forms the receptacle for the sealing-wax, which is usually in stick form and which may fit within the casing, so as to move freely therein, or may be considerably smaller than the casing.

The end of a stick of sealing wax 4 is shown in Fig. 1, and in the construction shown IOO in Figs. 1 and 2 a spring 5 is provided between the cap 3 or right-hand end of the casing and the rear end of the stick of sealingwax, which acts to force the sealing-wax toward the reduced end of the casing. Means are also provided to open and close the restricted orifice, such means being shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as a gate 6 on a pivoted shaft '7, the shaft 7 being pivoted in lugs 8 8, extending upward from the casing 1, and the righthand or rear end of the shaftibeing provided with a handle or finger-piece 9 and a coilspring 10, secured at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the right-hand lug S and acting to normally hold the gate in closed position, beiu g shown for returning the gate to closed position when the pressure upon the finger-piece 9 is relieved. The gate 6 is shown in open position and the finger-piece 9 in depressed position in Fig. 2, and the gate is shown as closed in Fig. 1. The stop to the movement toward closed position is shown as a slight flange or projection at the rear of the gate, and the stop to the movement toward open position is shown as effected by the contact of the finger-piece 9 and the casing 1.

The impressing-seal 11 is shown as formed at the extreme right-hand end of the removable cap 3 of the casing. This is the upper end of the device when the device is in position for melting or applying the sealing-wax. \Vhen sufficient sealing-wax has been deposited upon the letter or envelop, the device may be quickly inverted and the seal impressed upon the soft wax. \Vhere no gate is employed, as in the constructions shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the flow of sealing-wax will usually be checked by tipping the device back, and the complete reversal of the device will only be a continuation of this movement, so that a single movement will stop the outflow of the sealing-wax and bring the device into position for impressing the seal. The knob of the removable cap 3 also forms a convenient handle for holding the device.

By the device as thus far particularly described the scaling-wax while within the easing is inclosed and shielded from the heatingflame, so that ignition of the sealing-wax is practically impossible. It is usually desirable also to prevent contact of the heatingfiame with the melted sealing-wax issuing from the orifice 2 of the casing, and to that end I provide a shield 12, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) extending on either side of and below the orifice 2 and extending downwardly a sufficent distance to effectuallyinterpose a barrier between the heating-flame and the melted sealing-wax issuing from the orifice 2.

In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, 1 have shown the heating device, comprising a reservoir 13 for inflammable fluid, and which maybe filled with a fibrous absorbent, as shown, and a burner 14:, extending therefrom, and which may be simply a tube and wick, as shown, the burner being located beneath the reduced end of the casing 1 and so as to heat the extreme end thereof. A removable cap 15 is shown as provided at the right-hand end of the reservoir 13 for convenience in filling or charging it with inflammable fluid. By this construction the heat is locally applied at the point of melting, and the apparatus is complete in itself.

It is frequently desirable to einploysealingwax of several different colors. I eontem plate for such purpose the use of a separate casing for each color, but provide means whereby the heating device maybe removably attached to a casing, so that the same heating device may be used with several casings and may be readily and quickly removed from one casing and attached to another easin g whenever sealing-wax of a different color is desired. Such means are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprise sets of spring-fingers 16 16, extending from the reservoir 13 and constructed to embrace or partly embrace the casing 1, but so that they will readily spring outward upon a forcible separation of the casing and reservoir. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the casin g and reservoir are permanently secured together, as will be desirable in some instances.

The manner of using a device embodying my invention has been to some extent explained. Vhile the sealing-wax is being heated the device should be held in inclined position with the reduced end of the casing downward, so that none of the melted sealing-wax will run backward into the casing, and should be usually held so that the orifice 2 will be directly over the point of the envelop or package at which the sealing-wax is applied, and when the gate 6 is opened, or if a construction is used having no gate, as soon as a portion of the sealing-wax is melted the melted sealing-wax will flow out of the orifice 2 and drop upon the envelop or package. YVhere a gate is employed, the flow of sealing-wax may be checked at any time by closing the gate. Otherwise the flame may be extinguished or the device tipped backward, or both, to check the outflow. The seal may be impressed by quickly reversing the device and pressing the seal down upon the soft wax.

It is evident that various modifications may be made in the construction above particularly described within my inventionas, for example, the casing may be used alone, as shown in Fig. 4, or the casing and heating device may be used without other features of my invention, as shown in Fig. 3. Other modifications will be evident and may be desired for special purposes.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 1. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a casing for the sealing-wax having a restricted orifice at one end and a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner therefor, the burner being in proximity to the restricted orifice of the sealingwax easing, substantially as set forth.

2. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising an inclosing casing for the sealingwax provided with a restricted orifice at one end for the escape of the melted wax, whereby the portion of sealing-Wax in proximity to said orifice may be melted out of contact with the heating-flame and its ignition within'the casing prevented, and a shield in proximity to saidorifice to prevent contact of a heatingflame with the sealing-wax issuing from said orifice, whereby the ignition of the sealingwax flowing out of saidcasing is prevented, substantially as set forth.

3. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a casing for the sealing-wax reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such reduced end,and a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner therefor, the burner being in proximity to the restricted orifice of the sealing-wax cas-' ing, and a shield in proximity to said orifice to preventcontact of the flame of such burner with the sealing-wax issuing from said orifice,

substantially asset forth.

4. A devicefor applying sealing-wax com prising a casing for the sealing-wax having a restricted orifice at oneend, and a reservoir forinflammable fluid and a burner secured thereto, and meansfor removably attaching said reservoir and burner to said casing, substantially as set forth.,

5. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising an inclosing envelop for the sealing.

' wax tightly closed with the exception of arestricted orifice atone end for the escape of melted wax, whereby the sealing-wax may be melted out of contact with the heating-flame and its ignition prevented, a spring located in said envelop and constructed to force the sealing-wax toward the said orifice and a movable gateat such orifice and means for actuating said gate, whereby the outflow of softened wax may be checked, substantially as set forth.- 7 i 6. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a casingforth'e sealing-wax reduced in dimensions at one end, and having a re stricted orifice at such end, a movable gate at suchorifice, a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner therefor, the burner-being in proximity to the restricted orifice of the casing, and ashield in proximity to said orifice to prevent contact of the flame of such burner with the-sealing-wax issuing from said orifice, substantially as set forth.

. 7. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising acasing for the sealing-wax reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such end, a spring con to prevent cont act of the flame of such burner fice, substantially as set forth.

8. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a casing for the sealing-wax reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such end, a spring constructed to force the sealingwax toward the reduced'en'd of the casing, a movable gate at such orifice, a reservoir and a burner secured thereto and means for removably attaching said reservoir andburn'er to said casing, and a shield in proximity to such orifice to prevent contact of the flame of such burner with the sealing wax issuing from such orifice, substantially as set forth.

9. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a casing for the sealing-wax redufced in dimensions at one end, and having a restricted orifice at such end, a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner secured thereto and means for removably attaching said reservoir and burner to said casing, and a shield in proximity to such orifice to prevent contact of the flame of such burner with the sealing-wax issuing from such orifice, substantially as set forth.

1O. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a tubular casing reduced in dimensionsat one end and having a restricted ori- 'fice at such reduced end, and having a removable cap at the other end, a shield in proximity to such orifice and a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burner therefor, said burner being in proximity tosaid orifice, sub,- stanti'allyas set forth.

11. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a tubular casing reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such end, and having a removable cap at the other end, a reservoir for inflammable fluid and a burnersecured thereto and springfingers secured to said reservoir and constructed to embrace said tube, substantially as set forth.

12. Adevice for applying sealing-wax comprising a tubular. casing reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such end, and having a removable cap at the other end, a pivoted gate constructed.

to close said orifice and a shaft movable with said gate and extending along said tubular casing and means whereby said shaftmay be actuated to open and close said gate, substan tially as set forth.

13. Adevice for applying sealing-wax comprising a tubular casing reduced in dimensions at oneend and having a restricted orifice at such end, and having a removable cap at the other end, a pivoted gate constructed to close said orifice and means whereby the same maybe actuated, a spring located in said casing and constructed to force the sealing-wax toward the reduced end thereof, and means for heating said casingin proximity to said orifice, substantially as set forth.

14. A device for applying sealing-wax comprising a tubular casing reduced in dimensions at one end and having a restricted orifice at such end, and having a removable cap at the other end, a pivoted gate constructed to close said orifice and means whereby the same may be actuated, a spring located in said casing and constructed to force the sealing-wax toward the reduced end thereof, a shield inproxiniity to such orifice, and means for heating said casing in proximity to said 10 orifice, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of September, A. D. 1897.

HERBERT E. RIDER.

\Vitnesses:

HERBERT H. GIBBS, AMBROSE K. DIERRILYL, 

